You should teach your child his or her name, surname and address at a very young age (street, flat, town and telephone). If you feel they are too small to learn this information, invent a song for them. Songs help them to learn and it will be easier for
them to remember.

Tell them that they should only tell policemen this information if they are lost. Show them what policemen look like, the uniform and cars they use and how you can approach them in an emergency. The numbers to call in an emergency are easy to remember, so make your children memorise them so that they can call from a phone box if necessary.

Leaving school
The work situation of many parents prevents them from personally collecting their children from school. This task is normally entrusted to grandparents or nannies. However, you may on occasion have to send someone your children do not know well to collect them. This is a problem for kids, because one of the first rules they are taught is to never go off with a stranger. How do we solve this situation?

If someone unknown to a child needs to pick them up from school, warn them beforehand. To avoid problems you could tell them that this person knows a secret password, which you have previously taught your child (a cartoon film they will remember, for example). When this person approaches your child and tells them this secret password they will know he or she can be trusted. Another option is to tell your children to ask a teacher who will explain the situation.

Strangers
Your child should also be aware that under no circumstances should they accept any object or thing given to them by strangers and that they should never go into a stranger�s house or car. You should also tell them that if they ever feel in danger, they should shout out help as loud as they can so that other people can hear them.

In shopping centres
It is very common to lose sight of their parents in shopping centres. You should tell them never to leave the centre, even if someone asks them to, and that they should approach a policeman or shop assistant for help.

In these large shopping centres you should teach them that if they need to go to the public toilet, they should always go accompanied by an adult or older brother or sister. They should never go alone.

Forbidden to touch
Finally, and this is no less important, you should teach them the parts of the body that no-one should touch. Regretfully, the cases of pederasty have increased in recent years and you should thus teach your children that no one should touch their private regions. Also warn them that even if they are with people they trust � family and friends� they should never do anything they do not feel comfortable with.

You should teach these rules little by little, trying not to make your children feel they are in constant danger. Give this information the importance it deserves without exaggerating, because if they do feel in danger they could be too afraid to act as you have taught them. Tell them that they are simple safety guidelines.